That's Fiction
by 14hpgirl19
Summary: Belle is late coming home, and Mr. Gold is worried. What could she possibly have gotten caught up in? Well, a story, of course…


**Hey all! This is a short little one-shot I came up with. Hope you all enjoy, and let me know what you think =)**

Mr. Gold was worried.

He didn't get worried easily. He never really had anything to worry about. He was a loner, only had himself to take care of, and sometimes he didn't even care about himself. Other things didn't concern him, so he never got too worried.

But that had changed. He had someone in his life now. Someone who occupied his every thought and who he cared about very deeply. Someone who he was madly in love with and would move heaven and earth to make happy.

Someone who always came home at five-fifteen after closing the library.

Gold hesitantly pushed open the door to the Storybrooke Public Library. It was nearly six o'clock, and he hadn't heard from Belle. His paranoia was getting the best of him, he knew that, but he simply could not stay home without knowing if she was in danger.

"Belle?" he called out, stepping further into the room. The door was unlocked, which meant Belle hadn't left. Or if she had, she didn't go willingly. He was getting increasingly anxious and was prepared to scour the town when he heard her beautiful voice.

"Back here, Rumple."

He headed toward the back and turned right. Curled up in the corner was his darling Belle, book open in her lap. Her curly brown hair had been pulled back into a messy bun, no doubt so it wouldn't obscure her view of the page. She hated it when that happened, and Gold loved it when she tied it back distractedly while keeping her eyes down.

"Belle?" he asked again. She hadn't looked up. He dragged a chair over and settled down so he was facing her. It looked like she hadn't even considered getting her own chair when she started reading. He would join her on the floor if not for his leg.

"Mhmm?" Her eyebrows furrowed, though she still had not raised her eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"I was worried."

"Why?"

"Sweetheart, it's almost six."

"Huh?"

"Belle, it's almost six o'clock. You close the library at five."

That seemed to penetrate her occupied mind. She looked up at him, her mouth falling open in shock.

"Is it really that late?"

"Afraid so."

She let out a little moan. Her head fell back to rest against the bookcase. Gold had to suppress a little smile.

"Oh Rumple, I'm sorry. I just got lost in this book! I only meant to read a tiny bit, but..."

"You're almost done with it," finished Gold with an affectionate smile. She gave him a sheepish one in return.

"You won't believe what it's about." Her blue eyes were dancing with glee, and it made Gold curious.

"What?"

"Guess."

"Belle, you know I'm no good at this. And besides, I'm really hungry. Can we just stop by Granny's? You can tell me there."

Belle rolled her eyes.

"Look."

She handed him the hardcover book and stared at him expectantly. Sighing, he dropped his gaze to the front cover. A confused look crossed his face.

"_Beauty and the Beast_," he read. He looked at her. "I don't get it."

She giggled and took it back from him. She gazed at the book fondly.

"Neither did I," she admitted. "But there was something familiar about it, so I picked it up." She smiled at him, a smile that always made his heart beat a little faster.

"Well?" he prodded. Belle's smile grew.

"It's about us."

Gold blinked. He certainly wasn't expecting that.

"I'm sorry?"

"It's our story!" she said eagerly. "You know the people in this land see us as fictional characters and they have their own tales about us." She held the book up in the air. "This is the one about us."

Gold was silent for a moment as the notion sunk it. He reached for the book, and Belle handed it back. He thumbed through the pages, eyes skimming the printed words.

"I always thought... I always thought my story was the one about the mischievous little imp," he said quietly. "I didn't think this would come up."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," she teased.

"It's certainly not. However, everyone sees me as the villain. I _am_ the villain. I don't know why anyone would picture me in love."

"Well," Belle said, placing her hand over his, "you're not Rumplestiltskin in this."

"What do you mean?" He twisted his hand around so his fingers were entwined with hers.

"Your name isn't Rumplestiltskin."

"Well then, what is it?"

"The Beast."

Gold pouted. "That's it? 'The Beast'?"

"Yes," Belle said with a tiny chuckle. "And you're literally a beast. You're covered in fur and have claws and fangs."

Now Gold looked downright offended. He knew he wasn't the most attractive man back in the Enchanted Forest, but _fangs_?

"Why on earth would you fall in love with someone like that?" he asked. Belle smiled.

"Because I see what's important. I see your heart."

Gold stared at her in amazement. He still could not believe this woman _wanted_ to be with him. He could not comprehend her love for him.

"In the novel?"

"What?"

"You see my heart in the novel?"

Belle pushed herself up onto her knees and inched over to Gold. Reaching up to caress his face, she kissed him gently. For a moment it felt like their first kiss all over again, with Belle initiating it and Gold responding very tentatively.

"I see it here too," she whispered when they separated. Her hand drifted down from his face to rest over his heart. Gold rested his forehead on hers.

"My Belle..." he murmured. "My beautiful, wonderful Belle."

"Let's go get some dinner, shall we?"

He nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. Belle stood, tugging him up with her. She reached for the book, prepared to put it back, but Gold held on to it.

"I think I'd like to read it," he said, almost shyly. Belle grinned.

They were out of the library, halfway to Granny's when Belle said, "You know, they have our cup in it." Gold looked at her in surprise.

"How do they know about that?"

Belle shrugged. "No idea. Either way, it's in the story, chip and all." She grinned mischievously. "And that's not the crazy part."

"There's more?"

"The cup is alive."

"I'm sorry?"

"It's alive! The cup is really a little boy placed under a curse. All the servants in your castle are cursed with you, but their punishment is they are household objects."

Gold stared at her incredulously. "I don't even have servants. That's insane." Belle giggled.

"That's fiction."


End file.
